Suspected Craigslist robber caught in undercover transaction

Detectives pretended to sell Apple iPhones on Craigslist and caught a man suspected of luring people through the website and then robbing them, Colorado Springs police said.

Alexander David Lee Mitchell, 18, was arrested on suspicion of felony theft and theft from an at-risk adult, then booked into the El Paso County jail and held on a $3,000 bond, court records show.

The sting followed three Craigslist robberies within two days in Colorado Springs.

The first robbery happened about 8 p.m. Sunday, when a man selling two Apple iPhone 5s met a potential buyer at the Walgreen's store on 4305 E. Platte Ave. According to the victim, two unidentified men approached him and ran off with the iPhones without paying.

At 7:20 p.m. Monday, a second robbery at the same Walgreen's was reported when a Craigslist seller had an Apple iPhone 4s and an Apple iPhone 5 stolen by potential buyers.

Less than an hour later, police received reports of a robbery at the Walgreen's store on 1920 S. Chelton Road.

An elderly man had listed an Apple iPad mini on Craigslist and the potential buyer ran off with the iPad without paying, police said.

When detectives advertised on Craigslist to sell an Apple iPhone they were contacted just a few hours later by a person wanting to buy the phone, police said.

The detectives met with the buyer at the South Chelton Road Walgreen's store about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, police said. Mitchell allegedly snatched the iPhone and ran off with it, but officers and a K-9 unit made chase and he was arrested.

Police said the investigation is ongoing and more arrests are anticipated.

Anyone with information can call police at 444-7000 or Crime Stoppers at 634-STOP.